Stand By Me
by xxlittlemonster
Summary: She was there when they trapped them - and she was there when they decided to kill them. However, Lindsay doesn't believe in the same morals the rest of her group members do. No - she wants to free the prisoners and help them to safety, all the while running away from the people who have helped her stay alive.


**Summary: **She was there when they trapped them - and she was there when they decided to kill them. However, Lindsay doesn't believe in the same morals the rest of her group members do. No - she wants to free the prisoners and help them to safety, all the while running away from the people who have helped her stay alive. Her only question is, will Lindsay be willing to sacrifice everything she's built behind the cages and leave her safe haven, or allow the outsiders to die and become her group's next meal?

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the show the walking dead, nor do I own the canon characters. However, I do take ownership of my original character, Lindsay Vargas.

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"He just threw the plate down, grabbed his pocket watch and held him at gun point! It was crazy!" Everyone in the group was talking about how the man came in and almost killed one of their own. Savages. Neanderthals. All words used to describe the four outsiders. However, Lindsay Vargas believed otherwise. With the stories traveling throughout the camp, it seemed to the woman the outsiders simply saw them for who they were – monsters. For weeks the Spanish woman wanted to do nothing more than break her group; she knew she was no match by herself. No, instead Lindsay stuck it out and stayed simply for food and protection against the true evil out in the world.

Walkers she wasn't afraid of; walkers she could handle. It was the living that frightened her. At least this group, who willingly took her in, was polite and understood the principle of privacy.

"Did they kill them?" No, Lindsay answered mentally. The brunette knew exactly what they did with the outsiders – they held them captive, as prisoners in the train cargo for food.

The sick and twisted truth wasn't knowledge for everyone. Lindsay, however, proved her loyalty to the group many times – earning her place in the higher ranks. She was there when they lured the outsiders to the back courtyard; she was there when her leader commanded for the 'tough guy' to be killed first.

Finally sick of all the chatter, Lindsay reminded the two watchers of their job. "And that doesn't include talking out of your asses." The two men sent glares toward the female before separating. Thankful for the silence, Lindsay averted the gaze to the cargo. Her and her men were ordered to watch for the prisoners, making sure they didn't escape. As much as Lindsay wanted to do something a little more useful, the woman was grateful for the chance to clear her mind. Almost like out of a book, Lindsay felt a magnetic tug, somewhere inside of her, for the outsiders – like they were meant to be in her camp somehow. This is coming from a woman who believed in nothing more than everything happens for a reason; even that was beginning to falter.

Slightly tilting her head to the cargo, Lindsay let out a strenuous sigh. "Who are you?" she voiced, wanting to know more about these outsiders.

"Did you say something?" Jackson, one of her men, asked the female. Shaking her head to the watchman, Lindsay ordered him to take a brief break. Jackson nodded before taking off toward the front of the building. "Harvey!" The other man slowly made his way to this superior, raising a brow. "There's a steak waiting for the both of us; can you bring me my share and you can take a fifteen as well." Without another word, Harvey walked off to fetch her food. With no one else around, the woman sat on the roof ledge, her legs swinging with the wind. Under different circumstances, the beautiful view of endless tress, birds soaring high overhead and the spotless clear blue skies would have been appreciated a little more. However, the distant moans from approaching walkers and the harsh reality that this was possibly the end stopped any kind of adoration.

"Lindsay." The sudden acknowledgement hadn't startled the girl. She knew it was Harvey coming back with her portion of food. Unlike the others, Lindsay provided her own food – hunting outside of their barriers to find herself dinner whenever possible. There were some days when she'd have to starve, but it was the extent the woman would go to avoid eating the food provided by the group.

Cannibalism was illegal in every country before the world became infested with zombies. A practice frowned upon no matter where anyone went. But in a world where there were no rules and nothing to stop anyone from committing sins, nothing was held back. However Lindsay believed the group should continue raising their numbers to create a better and safer community – the group leader thought otherwise. A group superior or not, Lindsay refused to chow down on her own species; mankind was not supposed to be eaten.

Grabbing the plate offered to her, Lindsay thanked the man before waving him off. "Hey, you okay?" With concern clear in his voice, Lindsay merely nodded and blamed it on 'problems women would understand'. Clearly understanding, Harvey waved goodbye before walking off to eat his portion of food. Standing, the woman watched her man walk out of view and instantly her mind ran. She had approximately fifteen minutes before anyone would be back to check on her. Shouldering her gun, Lindsay began climbing down the roof and onto the flat land, the plate protected in her hands. Reaching the concrete, Lindsay's eyes scanned her surroundings; if she were to get caught doing what she was about to do, she'd end up in the same predicament. Gripping her weapon tightly, Lindsay began moving forward.

Many would follow their gut instincts and turn around like every voice in her mind instructed her to – however Lindsay's heart continued to pull her toward the train cargo. Giving three knocks, Lindsay placed her ear next to the door. Hearing her name from the other side, the woman opened the lock and pushed the door open. Raising her weapon, Lindsay kept an especially close eye on the two men who recently joined the prisoners. "Thanks Lindsay," Glenn praised, taking the plate of meat from the woman.

"We dun wan' yer sloppy secon's." Hearing this, the woman resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Instead she informed the obvious redneck how she was giving up her portion of dinner to feed them.

"Have a little respect for someone who's putting their ass on the line to help you." Sending a glare toward the redneck, Lindsay then moved to look at Glenn. "Same time tomorrow." With a hard pull, Lindsay shut the cargo door shut, double-checking its closure. Quickly and quietly, her legs began walking toward her bunk, the day completely weighing on her.

"Hey, what are you doing down here?" Frozen where she was, Lindsay turned to find the leader of her group walking toward her, a puzzled expression on his face.

"Harvey had brought me my food and as I sat at the ledge, I accidentally dropped it. I'm trying to find it but I'm not having any luck." It almost amazed Lindsay how well she had made up such a story so quick, but she figured that's what improv was. Nodding, the leader understood. "I'm gonna go back to my post."

"Actually Lindsay, I was wondering if I could have a word." It was at that moment when the woman mentally retraced her steps; she did reveal herself?

"Sure, what's up?" The woman swung her rifle over her shoulder, looking up to him. Mentally she prepared herself whatever was coming next. Lindsay never really knew what was gonna come out of the leader's mouth. His body language, tone and facial expressions were never readable.

"You seem distant lately…why?" Such an odd question, Lindsay gave him a look. "I mean, you no longer attend the meetings, you won't eat the food we provide and your limited association with others is noticeable." Placing his hands in his jean pockets, the leader stared. Figuring he was waiting for an answer, Lindsay shrugged. "Are you not happy?"

"Of course I'm happy," Lindsay started. "I'm alive in a zombie infested world – how could I not be happy?" It was unknown even to the woman whether she was being sarcastic or not – however the leader laughed at the statement before flashing a smile. "Look, I know I've been distant but it's because I haven't slept well." The biggest lie of them all: 'I'm tired'. A lie that even in this new world people still used and believed. This wasn't any different for the leader either.

"Well get some rest, okay? We need you in better shape if we're going to have any chance against the outsiders."

"On that topic, what exactly do you plan on doing with them?" Without another word, the man began walking away, his back completely toward her. If there was one thing that bothered Lindsay was the lack of communication in the group; part of the reason why Lindsay wanted to run. But first, free the prisoners.

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**Author's note:**

I appreciate you taking the time to read my newest story!


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